In conjunction with Locks of Love and Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, Colorado Rockies pitcher Jon Gray will be donating eight inches of his hair for charity Tuesday at 1:30 pm MST at Coors Field, according to a release from the Rockies. Locks of Love is a public, non-profit organization that provides hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children, age 21 and under, suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. According to the release, “Jon and Jacklyn Gray are excited for this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children.”
From the Locks of Love website:
The children who receive these hairpieces have lost more than their hair; they suffer from a loss of self. Many children have been teased by classmates and/or embarrassed by the attention they receive because of their hair loss. They often will withdraw from normal childhood activities such as swimming, going to the mall or even playing with their friends. While wearing a hairpiece is certainly not a cure for these children, it can help restore some of the normalcy to their everyday lives that most of us take for granted. It is our goal to help provide a foundation on which they can begin to rebuild their self-esteem.
Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com wrote about Gray’s interest in making the donation during spring training this year. Jon and his wife Jacklyn are also passionate about rescuing animals. In the article, Gray expressed a desire to raise awareness for these causes and encouraged others to join him in support.
If you’re going to cut off a flow like Jon’s, at least he’s doing it for a great cause.